Switch-operated signal-light.



No. 825;734. PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

' G. w. JORDAN.

SWITCH OPERATED SIGNAL LIGHT.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.26,1905.

ULJULIJ one: WJORDAN WITNESS 8.

ATTOHNE rs UNITED STATES GEORGE WILLIAM JORDAN, OF PURVIS, MISSISSIPPI.

SWITCH-OPERATED SIGNAL-LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1906.

I Application filed September 26,1905. Serial No. 280,129.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, GEORGE VVILLIAH J OR DAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Purvis, in the county of Lamar and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operated Signal-Lights, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in switch operated signal-lights; and it consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch provided with my improvement, and Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

In the present embodiment of my invention an electric lamp A of the incandescent type is arranged upon a suitable support adjacent to the track, the lamp being included in an open circuit, having its terminals arranged at a point remote from the switch and in such position that the circuit may be completed by a moving train.

One of the terminals a of the lamp is connected, by means of a suitable conductor a, with a fixed contact-point a arranged at a point remote from the switch and adjacent to the outer or switch rail C of the track. The opposite terminal a of the lamp is connected, by means of a suitable conductor a", with one of the terminals 1) of a battery B, arranged within a suitable casing 1) adjacent to the lamp, the opposite terminal 6 of the batterybeing connected, by means of a suitable conductor 6 with a movable contact-point b, arranged above the fixed contact-point and adapted to be pressed thereagainst by the flange d of the wheel D of a moving train.

From the above construction it will be evident that whenever a train passes over the rail the circuit will be closed and the lamp will be ignited. For the purpose of prevent ing the ignition of the lamp when the switch is open I provide means whereby the opening of the switch will prevent the closing of the circuit by the moving train. One of the conductors leading from the lamp to the contact-points, in the present instance the conductor a, passes through the outer switchrail O and the outer switch-point E, the conductor being interrupted at this point and one of the terminals thereof being secured to a contact-point (i arranged on the switchrail O, and the other terminal bein attached to a contact-point a, arranged on tile switchpoint E. The contact-points a a are in broken, so that the contact of the contact point I) with the fixed contact-point a pro- 'duces no current through the lamp, and consequently no light.

It will be evident from the description that when the the switch is closed the lamp will flash, thus notifying the engineer that the switch is in proper shape. l/Vhen, however, the switch is open, there will be no flash, thus givin warning that all is not right at the switch. By arranging the lamp to operate when the switch is closed liability of error from defects in the apparatus is eliminated, since it is apparent that failure of the si nal to operate for any reason, will indicate anger to the engineer.

It will be understood that the contactpoints a b are placed at a sufficient distance from the switch to allow of ample time for stopping the train before reaching the switch. The conductors may be carried from the lamp to the rails by any suitable conduit, as M, and the battery-box may be arranged at any suitable point adjacent thereto.

It will be evident that by changing the con tact-points a a to the opposite switch-point and rail the signal light could be arranged to be operated only when the switch was open and to show no light when the switch was closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1, In apparatus of the class described, the combination with the rail and the switchpoint cooperating therewith, of an electric lamp supported adjacent thereto, a contactpoint on the rail, an electrical connection between the contact-point and the lamp, a contact-point on the switch-point for contacting with the point on the rail when the switch is closed, a fixed contact-point adjacent to the rail and remote from the lamp, an electrical connection between the contact-point on the switch-point and the fixed contactpoint, a movable contact-point supported above the fixed contact-point and adapted to be depressed thereagainst by a moving train, an electrical connection between the movable point and the lamp and a battery interposed in the connection.

IIC

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with the rail and the switchpoint coacting therewith, of an el'ectric'lamp, a fixed contact-point supported adjacent to the rail and remote from the switch-point; a movable point supported to be depressed thereagainst by a moving train, an electrical connection between the lamp and the movable point, an electrical vconnection between the lamp and the fixed point, a battery inter- I posed in the connection, and means whereby coacting therwith, of a signal, a fixed contact-point supported adj acentto the rail, and remote from the switch-point, a movable point supported to be depressed thereagainst by a moving'train, an electric connection between the signal and the movable point, an electric connection between the signal and the fixed point, a'battery interposed in the connection, and means whereby the movement of the switch may make and break 'said connection.

GEORGE WILLIAM JORDAN. Witnesses:

JOSEPH WESLEY TREW, JNo. T. MCCORMICK. 

